Bush urges world effort to tackle terror

October 15 2002

Washington: US President George W Bush today led calls worldwide to confront what he called the "global menace" of terrorism after two bombs in Indonesia killed 187 people, including at least 13 Australians.

Reacting after news of the explosions at packed nightclubs in Bali, many leaders spoke bullishly about the need to continue the fight against "terror" and offered their support and commitment to eradicating it.

Bush described the attack as a "heinous" act of terrorism.

"At least 182 innocent men and women have been murdered and hundreds injured in a terrorist act designed to create terror and chaos," he said in a statement.

"The world must confront this global menace - terrorism. We must together challenge and defeat the idea that the wanton killing of innocents advances any cause or supports any aspirations.

"And we must call this despicable act by its rightful name - murder."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said nations must keep up the battle against terror.

Howard offered intelligence and police assistance to the Indonesian authorities to track down those behind the car bombings of two night clubs.

The blasts, on Saturday night, killed 187 people and wounded more than 300, including 110 Australians.

While stressing the need to respect Indonesian sovereignty and sensitivities, Howard said: "It does require a willingness on the part of the Indonesian authorities to have people sit with them and work with them in dealing with this problem.

"I also speak on behalf of a country who's not only a neighbour but whose sons and daughters have died in this outrage.

"It's therefore very important that we work together and that all of us in this region understand the urgency of this issue."

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned the bombing.

A spokesman said Annan had been "shocked and horrified" to hear of the attack.

Annan "wishes to express, once again, his utter condemnation of all such indiscriminate attacks on civilians. They violate all accepted standards of morality, as well as national and international law, and cannot be justified by any cause or ideology," the spokesman added.

"Such tragic events underscore the importance of co-operation by all states in the struggle against terrorism and to defend human rights, freedom and the rule of law."

The European Union also sharply condemned the act, which it described as "barbaric and heinous".

The EU's Danish presidency, offering support to the Indonesian government to track down those responsible, urged the "Indonesian authorities to spare no efforts in finding and bringing to justice the perpetrators."

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said it was clear that the "fight against terrorism is far from over."

The Council of Europe, meanwhile, said countries must act to tackle the roots of violence.

"Terror is undermining democracy and human rights," the secretary-general of the organisation, Walter Schwimmer, said.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been closest among European leaders to Bush's vision of how to tackle attacks by militant groups, said he was horrified by the explosion.

"He completely and utterly condemns this appalling terrorist act. His sympathies are with the families of the dead and injured," the spokesman said.

"With regard to the news of the brutal and fanatical terrorist attack that caused dozens of deaths and injuries among citizens of your country and visitors from other countries, I would like to express in the name of the Spanish people, the government and myself, the most energetic condemnation and repulsion for this criminal act," he said.

German President Johannes Rau said he was deeply shocked at the blast, and thanked the Indonesian government and rescue services for prompt assistance to the injured, including at least eight Germans.

French President Jacques Chirac also expressed his outrage, saying "once more blind terrorism has struck, in the most gratuitous, cowardly and savage manner".

Italy's President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi declared it to be a "very grave act of terrorism" while Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss described the attack as a "hateful crime".

Russian President Vladimir Putin, opposed to US military action against Baghdad, said in a message to Australia's prime minister: "International terrorism again and again presents the civilised community with frightening lessons."

Putin sent condolences to Sukarnoputri, saying: "These tragic events confirm that the global community needs to co-ordinate much more closely its fight against international terrorism - the scourge of the 21st century."

Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Kamran Niaz did not hesitate to blame terror for the carnage, saying: "The government of Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack."

South African President Thabo Mbeki said he hoped all the "necessary" steps would be taken to catch those responsible for the blasts.

"This is a great tragedy which has been consciously and deliberately caused," he added.

In the Philippines, officials said there was no evidence to link the blast with a wave of deadly bombings in the southern Philippines, which is home to Muslim separatists the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the smaller Abu Sayyaf kidnap gang.